September, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Undefeated Awesome Strong, Lynx Attempt Rare Sweeps in FTBOA Sire Stakes

CSLR Racing Partners' Awesome Strong and Arindel's homebred Lynx will attempt to achieve rare sweeps Saturday of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Both undefeated juveniles, Awesome Strong, a 2-year-old colt by Awesome Slew, is favored in the $400,000 In Reality, and Lynx, a 2-year-old daughter of Brethren, is favored in the $400,000 My Dear Girl.

Awesome Strong would become the first colt to sweep the three-race male division series since Three Rules in 2016, while Lynx would be the first filly to sweep the series since Scandalous Act in 2013. While there have been 13 horses that have sweeps of their division, the feat has never been achieved in the filly and male divisions in the same year.

Awesome Strong, who won the $100,000 Dr. Fager by 4 ¾ lengths and the $200,000 Affirmed by three lengths, is expected to be heavily favorite in Saturday's $400,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile FFS finale that has drawn a field of 12 colts and geldings.

The son of Awesome Slew, who debuted at Gulfstream with a six-length victory May 22, will be challenged by Juan Alvarado-trained Turbo, who finished second in the Dr. Fager and Affirmed, and Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Apocalypso, who closed from 11^th to check in third in the Affirmed.

Awesome Strong drew Post 8; Turbo will break from Post 6; Apocalypso drew the rail.

Lynx, who captured the $100,000 Desert Vixen by 1 ¼ lengths and the $200,000 Susan's Girl by 4 ¾ lengths, headlines a field of 10 fillies in the $400,000 My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile FSS finale for fillies.

The homebred who debuted with a 1 ¾-length triumph at Gulfstream May 19, will face Ralph Nicks-trained Guardian Angel, the Susan's Girl runner-up, Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained Time Passage, a half-sister to 2021 My Dear Girl winner Outfoxed, and Dreaming in Style, a daughter of Girvin who graduated in style by 3 ½ lengths Sept. 9.

Lynx drew Post 2 for the My Dear Girl, one stall inside Guardian Angel. Time Passage will break from the Post 6.

The Florida Sire Stakes series has produced five Eclipse Award winners – Smile (1984 Sprinter), Not Surprising (1995 Sprinter), Big Drama (2010 Sprinter), Brave Raj (1986 Juvenile Filly), and Awesome Feather (2010 Juvenile Filly).

FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes

To be Run Saturday, Oct. 1

$400,000 In Reality

2-Year-Old Males, 1 1/16 miles

1.	Apocalypso	Edgard Zayas	Saffie Joseph Jr.	5-1
2.	Knox	Leonel Reyes	Saffie Joseph Jr	30-1
3.	Belts 'n Brooks	Edgar Perez	Ralph Nicks	20-1
4.	Diamond Cool	Romero Maragh	Patrick Biancone	10-1
5.	Commandant	Luca Panici	David Braddy	3-1
6.	Turbo	Edwin Gonzalez	Juan Alvarado	12-1
7.	Rockin Roller	Kevin Krigger	Eddie Plesa Jr.	6-1
8.	Awesome Strong	Miguel Vasquez	Jorge Delgado	5-2
9.	Tigre	Jason Huayas	Roger Laurin	10-1
10.	Fifty One Fifty	Jose Morelos	Luis Ramirez	20-1
11.	Cajun Hope	Emisael Jaramillo	Michael Yates	8-1
12	Hard to Handle	Paco Lopez	David Fawkes	8-1

$400,000 My Dear Girl

2-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/16 miles

1.	High Fashion Lady	Ken McPeek	Chantal Sutherland	5-1
2.	Lynx	Edgard Zayas	Carlos David	30-1
3.	Guardian Angel	Edwin Gonzalez	Ralph Nicks	20-1
4.	Dreaming in Style	Kevin Krigger	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10-1
5.	Dorth Vadar	Marcos Meneses	Michael Yates	3-1
6.	Time Passage	Paco Lopez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	12-1
7.	Marvelous Lady	Emisael Jaramillo	Saffie Joseph Jr.	6-1
8.	Cajun Tease	Miguel Vasquez	Michael Yates	5-2
9.	Atomically	Edgar Perez	Jose Pinchin	10-1
10.	Sherlyn Go Go	Leonel Reyes	Michael Maker	20-1

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Grade 1 Winners Happy Saver, Hot Rod Charlie Likely To Face Rich Strike In Lukas Classic

Grade 1 winners Happy Saver and Hot Rod Charlie are among the nominated older horses that are scheduled to face 80-1 upset Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Rich Strike in the $500,000 Lukas Classic (G2), which comes five weeks in advance of the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland.

Rich Strike, owned by RED TR-Racing and trained by Eric Reed, finished sixth in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and fourth in the Travers (G1) but returns to Churchill Downs where he is a perfect 2-for-2, including his unforgettable three-quarter of a length triumph over divisional leader Epicenter on the first Saturday in May.

The 3-year-old colt by Keen Ice would become the first Derby winner to return to Churchill Downs since Mine That Bird finished eighth in the 2010 Firecracker (G2) at age 4.

Rich Strike will face older horses for the first time in the Lukas Classic. Two of the top likely entrants in the race are Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Happy Saver, runner-up in this year's Alysheba (G2), Metropolitan (G2) and Whitney (G1), and Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, Bill Strauss and Gainesway Thoroughbreds' $5 million earner Hot Rod Charlie, the 2021 Derby runner-up who finished second in this year's Dubai World Cup (G1) and third in the Whitney (G1).

Likely entrants for the Lukas Classic, according to Churchill Downs' Assistant Racing Secretary and Stakes Coordinator Dan Bork are: Dynamic One (trainer Todd Pletcher), Happy Saver (Pletcher), Hot Rod Charlie (Doug O'Neill), King Fury (Kenny McPeek), Last Samurai (Wayne Lukas), and Rich Strike (Reed).

The Lukas Classic is the co-headliner on Saturday's card along with the 30th running of the $300,000 Ack Ack (G3), which is a “Win and You're In” event for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Likely Ack Ack entrants, according to Bork, are: Injunction (Carlo Vaccarezza), Senor Buscador (Todd Fincher), Speaker's Corner (Bill Mott), Three Technique (Jason Cook), and Untreated (Todd Pletcher).

Entries for Saturday's card will take place Wednesday.

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Long-Term Human-Horse Relationships Ease Equine Anxiety In Novel Situations

Horses that have a long-term relationship with an owner or caretaker respond to novel situations with less anxiety. A horse that has had several owners, or one that has multiple riders or who has only been with an owner for a short time, may respond with more wariness.

Dr. Resea Océane Liehrmann, from the University of Turku in Finland, and a team of scientists created a study to test human-horse interactions when exposed to new situations.

Horses have developed impressive social skills over the thousand of years that they have been in close contact with humans. They are good at understanding human demands and are also receptive to human emotions.

Humans that are in contact with horses for several hours a day can impact their physiology, welfare, and behavior. Because of this, the scientists say that it's important to understand what factors can influence equine emotions during human interaction and what shapes the horse-human relationship, particularly in unique situations.

For the study, 76 owned riding horses in the Turku area performed two behavioral tests related to novel objects. The horse's reactions were observed and analyzed. In the first test, the horse was led onto two surfaces, once by their owner and once by an unfamiliar handler.

The second test had a familiar and unfamiliar handler present the horses with a fluffy, stuffed toy. The horse had one minute to interact with the toy, then the person approached the horse and tried to touch its neck with the toy.

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The team found that the horses with an established (6 to 8 years) relationship with an owner were calmest when approaching the new surfaces; these horses also were readily touched by the toy.

Horses that had had multiple owners or ones that had a new owner were more reluctant when presented with novel surfaces and objects. This may negatively impact the horse-human relationship when horses are presented with new situations.

Horses older than 17 refused more often to step onto the novel surface when led by a stranger, but they almost all agreed to step on the new surface when led by their owner. This could be related to age-related changes in eyesight.

‘He Has A Lot Of Grit In His Races’: Favorite Gunite Overhauls Pacesetter Conagher, Coasts Clear In Harrods Creek

Grade 1 winner Gunite, the odds-on 3-5 favorite, ran down front-running stakes winner Conagher with a furlong to run and scored a three-length victory in Saturday night's second running of the $274,500 Harrods Creek for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs.

Winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful at 2, the Harrods Creek was Gunite's third sprint stakes win of the year, adding to July triumphs in the Maxfield at Churchill Downs and Amsterdam (G2) at Saratoga. Prior to the Harrods Creek, Gunite finished second to top 3-year-old sprinter Jack Christopher in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) at Saratoga.

Gunite clocked seven furlongs over a fast track in 1:21.95 under Tyler Gaffalione, who rode the winner for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and owner/breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (Ron Winchell).

The winner's share of $166,710 increased Gunite's earnings to $814,809 with a record of 5-4-1 in 11 starts.

“He's run extremely well his last three races,” Asmussen said. “He's had a very good season so far for us. He's a nice horse to have for the Winchells. Being a son of Gun Runner makes it even more special.”

Conagher, who broke from post No. 4, dictated the terms in the field of seven through comfortable fractions of :22.86 and :45.46 but Gunite, who had the outside post, never let the leader get away as he sat a no more than 1 ½ lengths off his right hip down the backstretch. Into the turn, Gunite engaged Conagher and the two raced shoulder to shoulder leaving the turn and into the stretch before Gunite comfortably passed the leader at the final furlong marker and drew clear late despite racing on the wrong the lead leg.

“He's one of my favorite horses to ride,” Gaffalione said. “His last few races he's really proved his talent. He has a lot of grit late in his races and shows that each time he runs.”

Gunite returned $3.26. Conagher, under Joe Rocco Jr., finished 2 ¾ lengths in front of Strava in third.

Friar Laurence, Hippodrome, Double Thunder, and Editorial Comment completed the running order.

Gunite was bred in Kentucky is out of the Cowboy Cal mare Simple Surprise.

The race honors the neighborhood of Louisville centered near Harrods Creek at the intersection of River Road and Wolf Pen Branch Road. It is roughly bordered by the Ohio River to the west and US 42 to the east. Formerly an unincorporated community, it was designated a neighborhood of Louisville when the city merged with Jefferson County in 2003.

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